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Uvthar - God of Slavery and Pride
Uvthar is one of the twenty gods of Imbringen, and perhaps the most misunderstood of all of them. Among the Imbringen Islands he is seen with almost universal disfavor, his churches abolished in all but two of the Imbringen nations, the Kingdoms of Inferex and Khemesh. Within these nations, he is revered as the god he is, but outside of those, only shadowed cults and secret altars can be found in reverence to him, and inquisitions of the purer faiths often hunt the followers of the Uvthar without mercy. He is depicted in almost all kingdoms as an evil god, but in truth, he is neither evil nor good, for these are simply perspectives. He is a god of simple truths and strict hierarchies. The systems he imposes are ones where every creature within them knows their place. The strong rule over the weak and the weak in turn are loyal and obedient to those who rule over them. In Uvthar's mind, and those of his followers this is hardly evil, this is simply reality. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west, fire burns, rain falls and the strong dominate the weak. That, however, does little to aid in his appearance among the various nations in Imbringen, which has only been made worse with the corruption of the nation of Inferex, now subservient to the Burning Legion and the Scourge. Those outside of Inferex and Khemesh see Uvthar's followers as demon-worshipers, believing that all loyal to Uvthar pray in his diabolic cathedrals and profane temples. This is yet another misunderstanding, for Uvthar does not demand worship nor do his followers give it, rather he demands obedience and acknowledgment that his word and his teachings are both truth and law. Followers that pray to him are granted power by him, often in the way of hellish magics, but not as a reward for their devotion, but given as a tool to bring more people into his service. Seen as the god of Slavery and Pride at a glance, those who understand Uvthar also know that he claims dominion over contracts and tyranny. He revels in the creation of contracts, especially those that appear fair on the surface, but give one side a distinct advantage over the other. Unlike Loreus who promotes fair trade, Uvthar teaches that those with keen intellect should be able to see the truth of the deals presented to them, while those that are too blind to see the simple realities, even those blinded by pride, deserved to be duped and taken advantage of. In artistic depictions, he is seen as a handsome but stern man in black plate armor, and that is not far off from the god that he is. He is as his depictions show him, handsome, but what they do not show is his eloquence, tactfulness, patience and intelligence. These are the traits he displays when he is in a favorable mood. Opposite of that, when he is crossed he becomes extremely aggressive and destructive, but only for a short period before his anger subsides and he regains his composure. There are few ways that one can anger the god of contracts, but the quickest way is to break one. To Uvthar, contracts, even spoken word are as binding as if they were written law. To break a contract is to earn his eternal disfavor. This of course also applies to him. When he makes a deal with a follower or convert, he ensures that he keeps it, even if the terms do not necessarily agree with him. For this reason, Uvthar is very careful about what he says or agrees to. As Uvthar believes in simple truths, such as the strong dominating the weak, he opposes freedoms which would otherwise interfere with acts of governance. Gentleness, compassion, humility and nurturing are the domains of the weak-willed as are those who indulge themselves to escape their duties or use such distractions such as romance, tenderness, and sincerity to do anything more than manipulate. Of all the twenty gods, Uvthar is the one that interacts the least with his followers. The moment his plane was constructed by Loreus and Astus he withdrew into it and rarely emerges, even when his followers are directly threatened. Occasionally, however, a mortal will garner his direct attention, one who is extremely notable and has the potential to further Uvthar's goals, but while he is slow to bless such individuals he is quick to punish, often with lethal effects, should those he empowers fail their assigned duties. His church, the Church of the Subjugated, attracts many individuals. Clerics, inquisitors (of which he has his own branch) and sorcerers, particularly warlocks and necromancers can be found wearing his holy symbol or carrying his weapon of choice, a spiked chain which can be used as a deadly weapon. There are also those who are drawn to him from other ways of life with particularly bloodthirsty monks and fallen paladins joining his ranks in search of a purpose. Many of the fallen end up joining his militant branch, the Knights of the Lash, where they carry out the will of Uvthar to the best of their ability. History As Uvthar is one of the twenty, is should come as no surprise that he started out as a mortal. Yet he was not one of the founders of Imbringen, rather he was one of the malformed offspring, born on the islands of Imbringen. The son of Qanlor and Vukash, he was one of the first humans born on Imbringen and Qanlor's favored son. Raised in his father's shadow, he learned from an early age that there are those who are meant to rule, and those who are destined to serve. As he grew he became a leader in his own right, given governance and reverence by others, but always known as the son of Qanlor, rather than a man standing out on his own. This, however, all changed when Aellaskal, a Vrykul shieldmaiden who had traveled with his father to Imbringen discovered the Locus, a powerful device capable of elevating those who touched it, transforming them into beings of great power. While Aellaskal had called for the founders of Imbringen only, Qanlor insisted that his son should accompany them, and so he, like his father was given the chance to take from the Locus and ascend to become something greater. Granted new powers and a much more commanding presence, Uvthar returned to Imbringen where he set out carving out his own sect of followers, teaching them what his father had taught him. But while he gained more followers, there were those who still saw him as the 'Son of Qanlor' rather than the god that he was. These individuals were quickly punished, but it became clear that there would be no escaping the shadow of his father, not unless something were to happen to him. This is perhaps the moment where Uvthar shined brightest. Using his power, he fed his father's growing rage and envy at the good fortune of his brother Loreskil, yet always remaining in the shadows, never acting directly, allowing his father's pride to slowly corrupt him and make him lash out. When he did so and started the great civil war which shook the Imbringen Islands to the core, many expected Uvthar to support his father in his bid for dominance, and perhaps he would have, had this not been his plan all along. He officially withdrew from his father, claiming neutrality and refusing to get involved in the open, an act which was seen as the ultimate betrayal by his father. When Qanlor lost the war, he condemned Uvthar as a traitorous boy who would never be more than his second, and yet, the moment Qanlor was locked away, the majority of his faithful abandoned him, seeking out other deities who either supported Qanlor in the war, or had teachings similar to his own, of which Uvthar had many. As the years wore on and human culture overtook the various nations of Imbringen, they soon forgot about Qanlor entirely. Soon Uvthar was no longer seen as the son of Qanlor but instead seen as a god in his own right, which is exactly what he wanted from the beginning, obedience and acknowledgment of his powerful abilities. Betraying his own father was simply a means to an end, one that ensured that he take his rightful place, as one of the strong dominating the weak. The Church of the Subjugated The Church of the Subjugated is the official church of Uvthar and one that attracts many individuals. Priests who value power over the needs of the people, sorcerers and warlocks who wish to exchange portions of their souls in exchange for power, slavers who ply their trade across the known world, lawyers who scheme and act in a ruthless fashion, tyrants in search of blessings to dominate and even nobles seeking the dark secret pleasures which are known only to the most debased individuals. This has, of course, led the church of Uvthar to be condemned in all but the most corrupt nations, such as Inferex and Khemesh. Within these nations, the followers of Uvthar are no different from the followers of other deities, only they are far more strict in their beliefs. Laws broken receive harsh, if not fatal punishments, and within the nation of Inferex, it is not uncommon for demons to be sighted wandering the streets, from the smallest imp to the larger doom guards. As Uvthar is the god of slavery, it should come as no surprise that the church accepts the practice openly, and often provides support for slavers markets, where the weak are bought and sold by their betters. Those who follow the faith of Uvthar accept these realities and support these practices as well, from the richest noble to the common peasant. Despite the cruelty of Uvthar's ways, none can deny that the church has brought stability and order, giving many safety and security, even if it comes at a heavy price. Crime is at extremely low levels in places wherever Uvthar is worshiped openly, as there are few bandits or thugs who are willing to cross the Knights of the Lash or the Breakers of Freedom, less they end up on the slavers block themselves. Within the church, there is an understanding of law and order, and every man, woman, and child understand their place in the grand scheme. This does not, however, mean that they are content with staying in their place, as many aspire to gain higher position, and this is a practice that the church actively encourages. Those who are low in rank are encouraged to look for weaknesses in their superiors, that might be exploited so that they can be removed from their positions of authority, while those at the top are always watching those equal to them or lower, searching for any sign that individuals may be attempting to supplant them. Keeping friends close and enemies closer, that is the motto used by many within the church. With that being said, however, the faithful of the church are not bloodthirsty or crude in their manipulations. Removing someone from power is not as simple as paying an assassin to do the deed, in fact, the act of assassination is greatly discouraged as murder is frowned upon within the laws of civilized nations, and Uvthar and his followers are nothing if not strict adherents to the law of the land. Instead, the faithful of the church search for weaknesses and exploit them, often using the law as a tool. In doing so they show their rivals weakness, as he was allowed to be taken advantage of by another, but they also show their own strength in understanding the teachings of Uvthar, and this cements their position in the hierarchy, at least for a little while. Services to Uvthar are often filled with long rituals spoken without flaw, and the deep tolling of thick, heavy bells, along with public punishment and/or blood sacrifice. More often than not the sacrificed creature is an animal, with goats and bulls being the most common, but occasionally a human sacrifice, either that of a willing servant or of an unwilling slave, will be used instead. Blood sacrifices, especially when a humanoid creature is killed, are usually attended by various demons, at least within the nation of Inferex. These demons have come to see Uvthar as their master and give him praise when the blood of the loyal or weak is spilled in his name. The Temples and Shrines of Uvthar Public temples to Uvthar are extremely prolific in Inferex and Khemesh where they can be seen in just about every major and minor settlement. Constructions vary depending on the location of the temple, however in places where there are a lot of resources, temples to Uvthar are often constructed from black steel, with everything from the floors to the highest walls being created from heavy metals. Red carpets and banners give a small amount of color to these locations, but little else is seen in this profane structures, as Uvthar disregards fine trappings and the treasures of nobility, as do his followers. The Knights of the Lash The Knights of the Lash are the militant branch of the Church of the Subjugated and are what can be expected of a group dedicated to a god of slavery and pride. They are supporters of slavery and cruelty, men, and women who exist solely to destroy and enslave in the name of their god. Their purpose is a simple one, spread the word of Uvthar to any who will listen, and collar those who won't until they can be seen by the Inquisitors. To that end their routine is simple. Every morning after praying to their god and eating what would be considered a simple meal, a group of Knights will seek out news of the area that they currently reside in. Should they hear of any potential targets, or those openly working against the will of the church, they immediately ride out to deal with the problem either by capturing and enslaving the targets, or dealing directly with the troublemaker either through imprisonment or execution, whichever is more efficient. Each Knight of the Lash carries four things with them at all times. A magical iron collar, known as the 'Collar of Compulsion' which forces the wearer to obey the owner of the collar, the orders weapon of choice, which is a spiked chain which is often used for fighting but can also be used to punish unruly slaves, a well crafted leather whip and a branding iron known as the 'Everburning Brand' which sears the symbol of the church into those captured by the Knights of the Lash. When a Knight of the Lash encounters a troublemaker or target to be captured, the ultimate goal is to subdue and enslave the prisoner through the use of the Collar of Compulsion. Those who are enslaved are quickly branded and then tied to the horses of the knights or thrown into cages so that they can be hauled back to the nearest church of Uvthar, where the slaves are then valued and prepared for sale. Should a target resist outside of what is considered 'normal' for an unwilling slave, the Knights have one rule, to kill the target and use the body as an example to others. The Role of the Church The Church of the Subjugated has one goal and one goal only. To spread the word of Uvthar to all who inhabit Azeroth, to ensure that all those who consider themselves free know that their freedom is a result of his will and that they should revere him for the gift that he has provided. To this end, the Priests and Inquisitors of the church will actively seek out bastions of civilization where Uvthar has no presence and attempt to worm their way into the society in order to bring the willing into Uvthar's embrace. This often starts in secret, or through deception, as is Uvthar's way, but once the roots of Uvthar's faith have been placed in a region they quickly dig in deep and reinforce themselves, making it extremely difficult for opposing faiths to wipe the faith from where it has become firmly entrenched. Once the church has established itself and gained influence, then and only then will the faithful start to subvert the local government, gaining power through the strategic placement of faithful individuals and the removal of those who are less than sympathetic. The entire process can take years, even decades, but the faithful of Uvthar are nothing if not persistent and as such never give up on their all-important duty. That is not to say that the Church does not have other duties, for there are many. As Uvthar's church is one of strict order, it falls to the faithful of the church to act as enforcers of law and order, although unlike the faithful of Loreus who also believe in the spreading of law and order, the laws passed by Uvthar and his church are anything but fair. They are biased and corrupt, and always give an advantage to those in power. Loopholes exist for those with the knowledge to exploit them and such exploitation is encouraged, yet few within the masses study the laws in order to properly use them to their advantage. This often results in many being angered, which leads the faithful to their next duty, the enforcement of punishment and the silencing of dissent. Once the courts have passed the judgment of the laws onto criminals and others guilty of crimes against Uvthar, the faithful, be they priests or inquisitors are tasked with carrying out the punishment. These are often straightforward and brutal in their application. Corporal punishment is a regularity, with men and women forced to endure public displays of lashings or worse depending on the severity of the crime with the worst crimes resulting in public executions. The type of execution varies depending on the location. Hanging is the most common, followed by the use of the guillotine or pyre, however, in the capital of Inferex the most brutal punishments are enacted against those who have committed crimes against Uvthar. Here, in the capital of Uvthar worship, those who are sentenced to death are brought to the 'Twins of Damnation' two towers that rise above the buildings surrounding it. These overlook the pitchforks, which are large metal spikes that rise up from the ground below shaped to resemble a pichfork. When the execution begins, the headsmen push the guilty from the execution decks of the Twins of Damnation, with the guilty often becoming impaled on the pitchforks below. The impact of this execution varies. Sometimes the accused misses the fork, in which case the impact with the cobblestones kills them. Sometimes they are torn in two when they impact the spike, in which case death comes extremely quickly, but most of the time, the guilty are impaled and continue to live, at least for a time. Their deaths are slow and extremely painful, and they are left for weeks after their deaths so that they may serve as an example to any others who might consider following in their footsteps. Clothing of the Faithful Uvthar being a god who respects the natural order of things, is not one who tolerates the unclean or the raggedly dressed, preferring instead for his servants to be impeccably clean and well presented. As such his priests are perhaps the cleanest and most orderly of all the Imbringen priests, despite the chaos and bloodshed that their work often brings. They dress mostly in clothes made from dark tones, usually blacks with red trims or accents. The exact type of clothing, however, varies depending on the location where the priests worship. In the Kingdom of Inferex, the garb of the Priests of Uvthar traditionally has multiple layers of light-weight cloth, while in the northern-most regions of Luxerois and Dalen the clerics favor thicker robes trimmed with fur, often worn over thick woolen clothing. This changes, dramatically, however, when you move to the hotter, more desolate lands of Kemesh the traditional multi-layer robes and thick garments are instead replaced with thin black shirts and red pants as the surrounding land is far too warm for thicker garments. When ceremonies are underway the priests of Uvthar will often don a silver, bronze or iron ritual mask depending on the location. This mask shows an impassive face and is supposed to resemble the god of which they serve, who cares little for revelry and celebration, hence the impassive, cold expression. Other adornments are sparse, for the god of slavery cares little for gems and other objects of finery. Clean, yet simple. That is what Uvthar expects, and that is what he is given. The Holy Texts Uvthar's doctrine is recorded in a book known as the Slaver's Code. By name alone, it is implied that the text is small, little more than a few pages, maybe a single chapter worth of reading, yet in reality, the book is much larger as it covers far more than just the code which Uvthar's loyal servants must abide. The current edition of the Slaver's Code is heavily simplified and to get a full understanding of the code, one must rely on multiple supplementary volumes and appendices. A small book compared to other earlier volumes, the current version of the text consists of 1,000 pages, which covers the history of the church, the instruction on how to write and properly exploit a contract, the true nature of power and influence, the purpose of laws within Uvthar's domain, the fallacy of evil, and other topics including how to utilize propaganda, tips on using diplomacy to succeed where more brutal methods would fail, the subtleties of speech and the hierarchy of Burning Legion and the Scourge, along with dozens of other smaller topics related to leadership and rule, all of which are written so that the texts remain in the correct context which is Uvthar's faith. Additional volumes, which vary in length, currently number in the hundreds (potentially thousands), which each one focusing on, interpreting and understanding specific topics. To those who are unfamiliar with the Slaver's Code and all its supplementary volumes, a discussion on the Code between two of the faithful might appear to be a duel of knowledge, with the winner being the one who can produce the most obscure, yet relevant reference. Because the church of the subjugated idealizes law and order, a priest or loyalist of Uvthar who has a larger understanding of the code will succeed where others might fail. A loyalist to Uvthar could, in theory, commit a crime against the church which would carry the punishment of death, yet be forgiven of his crimes or even rewarded if they found a way to justify the act by reciting a portion of the Slaver's Code that was lost in the numerous volumes which fill the churches loyal to Uvthar. As long as the individual in question can convince the senior priests that what was done was in the best interest of the god they all serve, all can be forgiven. Celebrated Holidays Uvthar is an old god, and as with the rest of the twenty, is immune to the ravages of time. As such Uvthar's idea of time and what it represents is often confusing to the minds of mere mortals. He has never, at any stage set down a holiday for his followers to revere him on, for he simply does not care about such things. As far as he is concerned, every day of the mortal calendar is his, and all mortals, regardless of race, culture or creed should revere him as the god that he is. This is not, however, the view of the church, which does recognize a scant few holidays which are based on the traditions of neighboring cultures. These days are set specifically as a counterpart to the various holy days of opposing faiths as a means to insult the faith, but also ensure Uvthar's superiority in the eyes of mortals. As such the 15th of March (countering Tactris's Day of Blessings) and 1st of June (countering Loreus's Market Day as celebrated in Bioncourt) are popular among Uvthar's worshippers. Most temples and churches also celebrate Leap Day (29th of February), as they see it as an extra day in which they may serve their god and give him additional prayers and worship. Within the nation of Inferex, the home of Uvthar worship, there are an additional set of national holidays which are loosely associated with the faith and held in reverence within that corrupt nation. They celebrate each and every solstices and equinox, considering them to be the Days of Purity. Despite the name, these days are anything but pure and are hosts to multiple gladiatorial tournaments, the goal of which is to weed out the impure among the slaves by throwing them into an arena to fight other slaves until only a few emerge from the blood pits. The 30th of August is also a revered day. Known as Leadership Day, it marks the date when the current leadership house of Inferex, House Dalicas, rose to power and took over leadership of Inferex. Additionally, the 16th of October is known as Conqueror's Day, a day of remembrance when the Burning Legion and Scourge conquered most of the Kingdom of Inferex and brought about the current state of demon and undead worship and loyalty. While none of these holidays are specifically tied to the church itself, as Inferex is the home of Uvthar worship, it makes considerable sense that as Inferex expands its influence, the holidays and Uvthar's worship will spread as well. Relations with Other Faiths Uvthar is not only the god of slavery and pride but also the god of contracts, and as such is willing to deal with any god or powerful entity as long as he believes that whatever deal is struck between them will be upheld on their end. This means that he will work with any of the twenty gods, with the exception of Vukana and Qanros (although whether that is to do with their unreliability or the fact that they are his scorned parents is unclear). Even the treacherous and seductive Yvella has been known to work with Uvthar, although given her fickle nature he often considers the goddess to be beneath him despite the woman being far older than he is. Though he is considered to be evil by many of the other deities of the Imbringen Islands, he still maintains his charming personality and as such can often persuade the other twenty to set aside their differences with him, at least for a time, so that they may work together, often when mutually beneficial arrangements are concerned. This has meant that he has worked with other deities despite the numerous ethical differences between their faiths, including Uphion, goddess of the arts, Erelia the goddess of magic, Boldar the god of Battle, and even Aella the goddess of Justice. Not surprisingly, despite the aid that is given, none of these deities or their faithful will ever admit such dealings, preferring to keep work with the god of slavery and pride a secret. The twenty gods of Imbringen are not the only 'deities' that Uvthar works with, or rather in truth, serve him (and in turn are seen as deities by the faithful). Within his own plane, which was built by Astus and Loreus reside many powerful demons, known as the Infernal Dukes, as well as other countless tyrants, mortals who earned the attention of Uvthar through their deeds and in turn were elevated into his service. These Infernal Dukes and tyrants rule over portions of Uvthar's plane of existence and occasionally they reach out, attempting to gain power and influence in the mortal world. They are revered by the faithful as the avatars of Uvthar's will, with multiple mortal cults honoring them as holier religions would honor a saint or patron being. Additionally, within the hierarchy of Uvthar's domain there exist the venerated and infamous 'Whore Queens'. These four were once mortal, rumored to be the concubines of Uvthar himself and would have died as mortals had Uvthar not elevated them to serve him within his own plane. They are equal in status to the Infernal Dukes, but are far more infamous as they are seen as Uvthar's favorites within his domain. Like the other Dukes and tyrants they also maintain their own cult presences in the mortal world, but unlike the dukes they care little for gaining additional power outside of Uvthar's domain, instead preferring to stay by Uvthar's side until he has need of their services. The Whore Queens * Kesaria * Elizana * Maugrette * Aurenis The Infernal Dukes * Zephax * Melchatix * Rahesh * Dumahix * Turgal * Kaizenerix * Mephisterox * Malaketh Uvthar's Plane - The Infernal Kingdoms The Infernal Kingdoms is the name given to the plane of existence that was created for Uvthar. Able to be altered by the mind of the owner to shape their own desires and levels of comfort, Uvthar has turned his plane into a region that can best be described as what the mortals believe hell to look like. The Kingdoms themselves are vast, each region owned by one of the Infernal Dukes which serve Uvthar loyally. There is no sun, no clouds, nothing that would resemble a hospitable landscape, only cracked stone and endless night as black as the abyss, only broken by the fires of the Infernal Keeps and shrines and volcanic fires which shine in the darkness. As one gets closer to the Infernal Throne, where Uvthar resides, the land becomes even more inhospitable. Active volcanoes spew ash and fire into the air, forests of petrified stone and thick blankets of ash dot the landscape, and what sources of water exist have turned to acid, creating green caustic seas which burn anything they touch. Deep fissures split the land regularly as the planes quake and shudder, the depths glowing with a sickening crimson light. What few roads exist are formed from the skulls and bones of Uvthar's enemies and lead between vast palaces constructed of blackened steel or jagged volcanic stone. Far below this landscape, below the toxic ash, filled skies lies the Infernal Library, a large columned hall filled with infernal texts, be they spells or scriptures, along with images and artworks that no mortal should ever look upon with their own eyes and even deeper still the Infernal Throne, where Uvthar is tended to by his Whore Queens and the Infernal Dukes reside, basking in the presence of their master. Each Infernal Duke sits on a throne of salt and iron, while Uvthar himself sits on a throne constructed from Infernal Glass, glowing as red as the fires which illuminate the lands above. Here they pass judgment on all who have been brought before them, regardless of the reason why. Those who are found worthy are spared, offered a place in Uvthar's army or a return to the mortal world from whence they came. Those who are not are cast into the abyss, a bottomless pit which sits in the center of the Infernal Throne. Those who are tossed into the abyss fall for eternity forced to relive the failures which leveled this fate against them for the rest of time or until Uvthar feels merciful, which is a rare occurrence indeed. Disclaimer Uvthar is loosely based off of the god Asmodeus from the Pathfinder Universe. Category:Duchy of Avern Category:Imbringen Islands Category:Gods